The Business of Giving Back this Christmas

December 19, 2016

At Starfish Oils, we believe that even for businesses, big and small, the Holidays should be a time for giving. This Christmas we are giving special gift packages to the children at the SOS Children’s Village in Kingston.

The SOS Children’s Village is a private, non-profit organisation that provides orphaned and abandoned children a home, with the goal of preparing them to be independent, productive adults. We will be providing gifts to the children at SOS Stony Hill, where approximately 130 currently reside.

If your business wants to give back this Christmas, but you’re not sure how, here are three quick tips to help you get started.

Tip # 1: Choose from your heart

When selecting a cause, whether at Christmas or throughout the year, choose something that your team is passionate about. For us at Starfish, we believe that the future of Jamaica depends on the state of our children. We chose SOS Children’s Village to help lift the spirits and lives of disadvantaged children who may otherwise go unrecognised. We hope that our small act of kindness may touch even one child, and believe that it is the impact of many small acts of kindness that change these children’s lives for the better. When your business chooses a cause or project that resonates with its team members, your staff will be motivated to realize the goals.

Tip # 2: Be useful

Give something that’s thoughtful and useful. This Christmas our gift packages for the SOS Children’s Village will include our natural soaps and bath salts.

Of course, everyone needs soaps… but we’re proud to be able to supply the children with soaps made of the best, non-toxic, all-natural ingredients. Infused with pure lavender oil, these soaps will help improve skin conditions the children may have, relieve stress, and ward off infections.

Our bath salts, which are are infused with peppermint oil, will give the children an extra bit of pampering this Holiday season. The aroma from the pure peppermint oil can help relieve some respiratory discomforts, headaches and nausea, and can stimulate the mind. These bath salts will also help alleviate pain, stress and swelling in the feet, and will reduce effects of any fungal infections of the nails. We’ll instruct the children on how to soak their feet in our bath salts and teach them why using these products will benefit them.

Tip # 3: Extend your giving beyond the Holidays

Since Christmas is a time for giving and spreading love, many organisations and persons in need often receive special attention over the Holidays. However, throughout the rest of the year their needs remain the same and they are sometimes forgotten. Once your team finds a cause it feels happy to support, find a way to provide assistance throughout the entire year. This can even be a small monthly contribution to an organisation, or you may take a more involved approach. When a company develops a culture of caring for the community at large and invests in social good, its team morale increases, which, in our opinion, boosts productivity. Businesses that invest in the community help create an ecosystem for social and economic development, which in turn creates an environment where their businesses will continue to thrive. At Starfish, we lend to various causes throughout the year and will be developing a recruitment strategy that provides employment opportunities for young people, particularly those considered to be at risk.

Whatever your business chooses to do this Christmas, we encourage you to find something, anything, to help build up our wonderful country and its beautiful people. Imagine the BIG good we could do if we all invest in small acts of kindness regularly.

Starfish Oils
- Contributor
Since 1996, Starfish Oils has provided the world with an authentic Caribbean experience through our all-natural aromatherapy products.
Starfish Oils soaps, candles and oils are made with the finest ingredients and unique essential oil blends, and are sold online at www.starfishoils.com, at our flagship stores in Jamaica.

The views expressed by contributors do not necessarily reflect the views of JAMPRO